Pebbles Slaps Viacom With $40 Million Lawsuit Over TLC Biopic

There was talk that this could happen and it did! Former-R&B-singer-turned-record-executive Peri “Pebbles” Reid (pictured) has reportedly filed a $40 million lawsuit for defamation against Viacom in an Atlanta federal court for her unscrupulous portrayal in the made-for-TV biopic “CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story” that appeared on the VH1 channel last October, according to the New York Post’s Page Six.

In the lawsuit, which was reportedly filed late Friday, Reid alleges her image was tarnished as a result of the film and feels she is now viewed as a “conniving and dishonest business woman who hoodwinked three innocent girls and exploited their talents for her own personal gain,” states Page Six.

Reid also reportedly states in the suit that Viacom, the parent company of VH1, “ignored fundamental canons of journalistic and literary conduct by publishing false and defamatory accusations with actual malice.”

Since the film’s release, Reid has publicly defended herself, claiming that her portrayal is inaccurate. Reid, who sold more than 4 million records during her singing career, denies ever controlling TLC’s legal team and accountants; she also claims to have never left TLC out of the loop with regards to contractual matters and always paying them what they were due.

In 1995, TLC, who consisted of Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins (pictured left), Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas (pictured right) and the late-Lisa ‘Left Eye” Lopes (pictured center), filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy just a year after recording the biggest album of their career, “CrazySexyCool.” The group declared $3.5 million in debt and also claimed at the time that they were each taking home reportedly $35,000 a year, after doling out the dollars to their management and creative teams as well as taxes and incidentals.

The group’s management at the time alleged that TLC filed bankruptcy in order to void their contracts. The trio then sued their record company, LaFace, and Reid’s management business, Pebbitone, for the paltry take-home wages they were allegedly receiving after building such a successful and lucrative brand.